Like Greeting Cards
by Moony Whore
Summary: A kiss stolen in the Gryffindor common room lets Remus and Sirius learn a lesson about kisses and greeting cards. Sirius/Remus


Disclaimer: Right, you all know the drill. I don't own them but how I wish I did. They belong to J.K. Rowling…if they belonged to me there would be more of this happening in the books.

Like Greeting Cards

"How could you?" asked Remus, his tone harsher than Sirius could ever remember it being. "In front of the whole bloody common room! How could you?"

Sirius didn't want to face Remus. He knew what sight would greet him and the mere thought of it made his heart bleed. There would be anger in those beautiful amber eyes, anger that made gentle-honey brown look frighteningly wolfish. But that wasn't what Sirius was afraid of seeing; it was what lay beneath that anger that pained him most--a look of hurt betrayal. Sirius had seen Remus angry like this only once before, when, one full moon, he had told Severus to visit the Shrieking Shack.

"It was an impulse," lied Sirius, turning to face Remus with one of his trademark careless grins forced upon his face. That lie and that grin etched another wound on Sirius' all ready bleeding heart.

Although a charming prankster and daredevil, Sirius Black never was one to take a blind leap of faith when it came down to love. For a man who was known for wearing his emotions on his sleeve, Sirius didn't like the idea of taking the risk of baring his heart only to have it returned to him battered. A broken bone or a cut were easy to heal, could be gotten over quickly but a bleeding heart and an aching soul never were remedied right away. 

Only moments ago, Sirius had taken his first leap of faith. He had kissed Remus Lupin in the common room and the reaction had not been at all what he had been hoping for. It hurt to think that Remus didn't love him and it hurt even move to think that his love had made Remus hurt. Love was your perfect example of the proverbial double-edged sword. No matter how you handle it, in the end, you'll only get wounded.  

"An impulse? Sirius you can't do that! You can't treat love like a plaything, something you can toy with until you get bored or-or until a better one shows its pretty face. You-you hand out kisses like greeting cards!" 

"Why not?" Sirius mentally winced at how cold he sounded.

A broken sigh escaped past Remus lips, it was the sound of a man who had given up. With that sigh, the anger gave way to the raw hurt that had been hiding beneath, "You-you can't do that because somebody will get hurt. You can't do that b-because people fall in love with you, Sirius. I mean, head over heels, over the moon and past the stars, the glass slipper fits, kind of love. I…you can't do that because I've fallen in love with you." 

Love…Had Remus said love? "Come again?"

Looking like he was ready to bolt, Remus took a step back, "I…" He trailed off, turning eyes to the floor like a dog expecting a beating, "I said I love you."

Sirius caught Remus' hand in his, hoping this would stop any escape the werewolf attempted. He put a hand beneath Remus' chin, lifting it so that their eyes met, "Just because I've liked somebody, lusted after them even, doesn't mean I've kissed them."

"B-but you said--"

Sirius put a finger to Remus' lips, cutting off anymore of his stuttering words, "I lied." He smiled, the breathless smile only Remus could make his lips form, the wordless smile of eyes that had just looked upon the first ever sun rise, "When I look back on the day I first laid eyes on you all I can remember is feeling breathless. From then on, no one ever made me get the butterflies like you do. You may not realize it, but even now after all this time, just the thought of you makes my knees go weak and my heart race. You define all that I've ever wanted; I love you in this magical way that no one has ever loved you before."

Sliding an arm about Remus' waist, Sirius gently pulled the blissfully stunned werewolf closer. He then brought a hand to Remus' face, letting fingers trace in tender awe the curving features, "Remus, kisses _are_ like greeting cards. They're meant to be given with meaning." 

"Oh." Did Sirius ever mention how much he loved making Remus speechless?

"So if you don't mind, I'd like to try it again." Sirius grinned lopsidedly, "Minus the whole 'throwing a book at my head' of course."            

Remus hugged Sirius around his waist, shock disappearing to be replaced with a smile, "I suppose it won't be terribly taxing to try it again. At least this time I'll be expecting it." Remus grinned toothily, "And I won't throw a book this time. Promise."

Sirius leant in, capturing Remus' lips in a kiss for the second time that day. This time, the kiss was returned. 


End file.
